The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page137

A. C. WALLIN.

A. C. Wallin now lives largely retired upon a valuable farm property of twenty
acres in the upper Naches valley which he bought in 1909, ten acres of which are
devoted to orcharding, but he is still active in the affairs of this world,
appearing to be much younger than his age would indicate. Although past
seventy-for years of age he still retains his mental and physical vigor to a
remarkable degree. He is an honored veteran of the Civil war, having served in
that memorable conflict from August, 1862, until its close. He participated in a
number of the most noted engagements of the war and the loyalty which he gave
to his country in times of stress has remained with him throughout his life.
Outside of his agricultural interests Mr. Wallin has also been quite successful
as a teacher, thus contributing to educational development in the district in
which he lived.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, he was born August 14, 1844, and is a son of
Richard and Harriet (Gale) Wallin, natives of Kidderminster, England, the father
born May 11, 1819, and the mother on the 17th of February of the same year. When
nineteen years of age they were married and subsequently came to the United
States. The father was a carpenter by trade. Perceiving greater opportunities in
the then undeveloped middle west, he removed in 1857 to Crawford county,
Wisconsin, taking with him his nine children. There he took up one hundred and
sixty acres of government land and this tract he farmed until death claimed
him. Four of his sons, including our subject, voluntarily served in the Civil
war.

A. C. Wallin was reared under the parental roof in Brooklyn and in that city
largely received his education, removing with the family to Wisconsin when
thirteen years of age. After laying aside his textbooks he assisted his father
but on the 11th of August, 1862, enlisted in Company A, Thirty-first Wisconsin
Infantry, and he still has in his possession his original enlistment papers.
Through the succeeding years until the close of the war he served bravely and
unflinchingly, stoutly performing his duties. He went through the siege of
Atlanta, was at Sandysville when that engagement was fought and participated in
Sherman's march to the sea and in the battle of Bentonville, North Carolina.
After the close of the war he returned to Wisconsin, where he took up farm work
during the summer season and attended normal school at Whitewater, Wisconsin,
during the winter months. He also went to Chicago, where he took a commercial
course. Being thus well prepared for teaching, he turned his attention to that
profession and for twenty years acted as principal and superintendent of schools
at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. He then became connected with railroad work,
acting in the capacity of accountant for the Wisconsin Western Railway for
eleven years. He was next for two years engaged in the abstract business on his
own account but at the end of that time came to Yakima county, taking up his
home on the farm which was cultivated by his sons and which he had acquired in
1909. This property comprises twenty acres on the upper Naches, ten acres of
which are devoted to orchard. The residence on the place has been remodeled and
modern improvements have been installed throughout, so that the property is now
considered one of the most valuable of the district.

On the 5th of September, 1883, Mr. Wallin was united in marriage to Miss Mary E.
King, a native of Mansfield, Ohio, and a daughter of L. O. and Sarah (Beldon)
King, the family being numbered among the pioneers of that state. The Kings are
of Revolutionary stock and long occupied a prominent position in the city of
Cleveland. To Mr. and Mrs. Wallin were born four children: Oscar K., who
follows agricultural pursuits on the upper Naches and is married; Jennie B.,
who married E. W. Bailey, an agriculturist, also located in the upper Naches
valley; Mary E., a resident of Seattle; and Helen H., a trained nurse, being a
graduate of the Deaconess Hospital of Spokane.

Oscar K. Wallin, who was born November 30, 1884, is one of the leading and most
successful orchardists of his section, having devoted much study to that line of
business. He received an excellent education, rounding out his ordinary school
course by two years' attendance at the University of Wisconsin. Being impressed
with the great opportunities offered in the Pacific coast country, he then made
an extensive trip over the west, in the course of which he came to the Yakima
valley. Here he selected a ranch which his father bought and which under his
able management has become a valuable property. He married Aline Ross, of
Delavan, Wisconsin, a highly cultured lady, who was at the time of her marriage
a teacher in the schools of Sioux City, Iowa, in which position she was employed
for two years. Oscar K. Wallin shipped the first carload of seed corn ever sent
out from Yakima county in 1917, most of which he raised on his own land. This
statement indicates along which line of agricultural endeavor he gives his
closest attention. He received for this carload twenty-eight hundred dollars.

A. C. Wallin is a charter member of P. W. Plummer Post No. 37, G. A. R., in
which he has held all the chairs. Since 1870 he has been a member of the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to Crawford Lodge No. 98, of
Wisconsin, and also having held all of the offices in that organization. He is
very prominent in the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Lodge No. 106, A. F. & A.
M., of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and also to the chapter. He is a past master
of the lodge, having held the office of master for five years, and he has ever
been very active in Masonic work, the principles underlying that organization
guiding him in his conduct toward his fellowmen. Along political lines Mr.
Wallin votes independently, giving his support to the candidates whom he
considers best qualified irrespective of party issues, in fact Mr. Wallin has
not voted a straight ticket for years. In 1918, however, he voted the straight
republican ticket, being largely influenced in his action by the seemingly
uncalled for pressure exerted upon the public in favor of the democratic
organization from administrative headquarters. To all worthy movements which
have been undertaken in any of the districts in which Mr. Wallin has lived he
has ever given his unqualified support, readily supplying means and effort in
order to bring about material and mental growth. He has not only become a
substantial citizen who now enjoys life in rest and comfort, but has also
rendered service to his county in times of peace as well as in times of war. His
son now ably represents the interests of the family, his name standing high
among the successful men of the Naches valley, where many of those who know him
are proud to call him friend.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.